Below The Beltway

Alex Rodriguez is up for contract renewal at the end of the season, and, so far, he seems to be non-committal about staying in New York:

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 12 — Alex Rodriguez did not have much to say about his contract Thursday, but what he did say may be unpleasant for his team’s management and discouraging for its fans.

Despite a widely reported effort by the Yankees to open negotiations for a contract extension, Rodriguez said he had no intention of bargaining until after the season.

That would mean he could opt out of the final three years of his contract, become a free agent and leave for another team.

“Correct,” Rodriguez said Thursday at Tropicana Field when asked whether he meant that he did not envision negotiations during this season.

“It would be selfish on my part to talk about my contract status when our team desperately needs wins” Rodriguez said.

When pressed, Rodriguez said, “I just said I won’t negotiate.”

And A-Rod isn’t the only top player that the Yankees are in danger of losing:

Two other top Yankees — catcher Jorge Posada and closer Mariano Rivera — can also become free agents after this season. Although each was willing to negotiate extensions before the season, the Yankees declined to do so.

Posada, like Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, played in Tuesday’s All-Star Game and is having an impressive season. Going into Thursday’s game, he was hitting .326 with 9 home runs and 48 R.B.I.

Posada said he was not interested in negotiating during the season even if the Yankees suggested it.

“I’m going to wait until the off-season, anyway,” Posada said. “There’s no sense for me to negotiate something now when I can wait and see what happens. I want to wait.”

When asked whether he could envision being wooed by another team, Posada said: “I have no idea. I want to see. I’ve never experienced free agency. I’m looking forward to it. First time ever. Probably the only time ever. I want to see what it’s all about.”

He added: “This is the only team I’d like to play for, but if they don’t want me here, I’m not going to come back.” He said he has received no indication that the Yankees would not want him back.

Rivera was less definitive. Although he said, “I will initiate no negotiations at all,” Rivera seemed open to the possibility of being approached by the Yankees. “They might come back, I don’t know; they haven’t said anything to me,” he said.

If the Yankees let Posada and Rivera, or even one of them, slip through their fingers then it would only establish that Brian Cashman is a pretty crappy negotiator.